Magazine Archive

Carbon-free claims made by corporate offtakers have come under fire as critics argue accounting based on annual energy consumption is a poor reflection of what’s really happening on energy grids. New emissions standards, growing markets for round-the-clock clean power, and increased energy storage deployment are all set to bring 24/7 carbon-free energy closer to reality.

Extreme weather events have brought grid resilience into focus in the United States, where hurricanes can wreak havoc on energy infrastructure. During a crisis, quick decisions in the control room are essential – and predicting faults before they occur can prevent major disruption. San Francisco-based AI professional Rudrendu Paul examines how generative AI can improve stability and security, starting with microgrids.

The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has identified more than 42,000 solar projects across Africa to date, but Chinese solar module export data to the continent suggests there are many more yet to be accounted for. AFSIA CEO John van Zuylen spoke to pv magazine about the ongoing effort to create the continent’s most detailed solar database.

As the buildout of data centers in the United States accelerates, developers are often targeting remote locations where land availability is high. Off-grid solar paired with batteries offers an opportunity to power data centers in areas that would otherwise not have access to dependable utility infrastructure.

The race for more computing power per square meter has put solid-state transformers (SST) high on the agenda for AI data center developers, who see full-DC as the system architecture that will maximize efficiency. Dafna Granot, senior manager strategy and innovation at SolarEdge, explains what the switch means and why it matters, as the inverter and energy storage manufacturer prepares to launch its own transformer product in time for the next generation of AI chips.

Policymakers in Japan are planning for significant solar deployment, with PV expected to be the leading generation source by 2040. At the same time, Japan’s government has unveiled plans to pull subsidy support and ramp up regulation for utility-scale solar. While the industry waits on a final decision, Izumi Kaizuka of Tokyo-based PV consultancy RTS Corp. projects growth for the sector despite uncertainty.

Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules have achieved incredible market penetration in just a few years. As the industry tackles long-term degradation, scientists continue to identify new failure modes. Near the physical limits of silicon cell technology, even small defects can have major impacts. Researchers are now developing mitigation strategies,
as Lior Kahana reports.

Mark Hutchins introduces pv magazine’s March 2026 edition, which takes a detailed look at how AI and the data centers it runs on are reshaping energy demand.

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are evolving into complex risk-sharing structures as hyperscale data center operators trade fixed pricing for physical delivery and grid-bypass certainty. The US solar industry is entering 2026 as the foundational technology for a new era of power demand, even as the sector navigates a volatile federal policy landscape.

Electricity grids have relied on a spinning mass to ensure stability since the first thermal power plants connected to a network, but the increasing penetration of renewable generation in the energy mix means new solutions are required for inertia and other stability services. Grid-forming inverters are ready to step in and when paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS), offer a full suite of stability capabilities, as
S&P Global’s Tiffany Wang explains.